Wikipedia defines: 

“A podcast is a series of digital-media files, which are distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and computers. The term podcast, like broadcast, can refer either to the series of content itself or to the method by which it is syndicated; the latter is also called podcasting. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster. The term is a portmanteau of the words “iPod” and “broadcast”, the Apple iPod being the brand of portable media player for which the first podcasting scripts were developed.” 

Steps involved in Podcasting: 

Podcasting is considered to be an important technology which is simple and easy to use. Following are the steps that one must follow to create a podcast:  

• The first step for the users is to create an audio or video content, which may involve recording audio and editing videos. The contents of the same can be stored with portable devices and then uploaded to a computer or directly to a repository.  
• A user has to post her work to a web server, generally in an MP3 format. After this, the users have to publish an RSS file that contains meta information about the audio file for example, the URL, the file’s name and the text.  

Once created, these podcasts are available for downloading via the following steps: 

• Users have to download/open an application like iPodder (now called Juice), which will recognise the multimedia file and its URL.  
• The application downloads the podcast URL and synchs it to a media player.  
• The users can now listen to their audio or view their video file.

Why are Podcasts important?  

Podcasting is emerging as a significant tool in the field of education and technical writing. It is turning out to be an excellent teaching aid for teachers. They can use it to teach language intensive skills. It is now also seen as an alternative method of learning which can help improve a person’s listening skills. The main reasons for using podcasts are: 

• Often the producers of podcasts are educators who with the help of this technology communicate with their students outside the traditional classroom.  
• It allows individually paced learning and conveys ideas and case studies to students in an interactive fashion.

Podcasts/Podcasting as a Tool in Technical Writing 

Podcasts are now increasingly used in the world of Technical Writing too. It allows the end user to view the interview/guide/manual with videos/audio capabilities, enhancing the quality of the subject matter understanding. 

Some useful Podcasts for Technical Writers: 

http://www.idratherbewriting.com/ 

• Podcast: Flare 4 – Ten New Features, Interview with Sharon Burton 
• Podcast: What’s new in Technical Communication 
• Comprehensive Podcast Index – A List of All My Podcasts

 http://dmn.podbean.com/ (a weekly podcast for Technical Communicators) 

• Podcast: All XML, for around 20 minutes 
• Podcast: Talking wikis with Stewart Mader 
• Podcast: Talking about usability 
• Podcast: Technical Communications and India

 http://www.klariti.com/2006/11/podcast-re-technical-writing-in-india.html

•  Podcast re: Technical Writing in India – Sandeep Balakrishna